Clerk, sheriff races for '14 shape up

Published: Friday, November 8, 2013 at 4:42 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, November 8, 2013 at 4:42 p.m.

The races for Davidson County sheriff and clerk of superior court are beginning to heat up as the incumbents have opponents for next year's election.

Filing for the sheriff and clerk of court, along with a number of other races, will begin Feb. 10 and end Feb. 28. The primary will be May 6, and the General Election will be Nov. 4.

Hal Triplett, a former Davidson County Sheriff's Office lieutenant, says he'll challenge Sheriff David Grice in the Republican primary. Tina Royal, an adult probation officer who is a Democrat, also announced this week of her plans for running for clerk of superior court, a position held by Republican Brian Shipwash.

Sheriff's race

Triplett, 63, a supporter of Gerald Hege's unsuccessful attempt in the May 2010 primary against Grice, began quickly expressing after Hege's failed run that he'd be running for sheriff in 2014 by placing campaign signs around the county. Triplett says he may have the longest-running campaign in the county's history.

"I sat down with my wife and my family, and I said, 'I know what it takes to be a good sheriff, and that's to be the people's sheriff,'" Triplett recalled. "To me, there hasn't been a people's sheriff in Davidson County in a long time. With that being said, I also told my supporters from day one that I'm not going to have a negative campaign. This election, to me, is not about Sheriff Grice and what he is doing and not doing. This is not about the former sheriff (Hege), what he did and didn't do. This is about Hal Triplett and what I can do for the citizens of Davidson County when I am elected as their sheriff."

Triplett, who served in the U.S. Marines from 1972-76 as a sergeant, started with the DCSO in 1996 under Hege when he was hired as a patrol deputy/K-9 handler. He worked with the department until July 2008, serving as a sergeant in vice and narcotics and patrol lieutenant. Triplett explained he left the sheriff's department five years ago with no problems "whatsoever." He said he left his post with the DCSO to train Iraqi police officers for about 20 months.

Triplett says he returned from Iraq and approached Grice about rejoining the sheriff's office. He says the DCSO didn't have a position for him, so he wasn't "going to straddle the fence." Triplett, who accompanied Hege for his filing in 2010, said he received an offer from the former sheriff to possibly be his major if he beat Grice in the 2010 primary. However, Grice easily defeated Hege.

Triplett said he'd be a "people sheriff" and he wasn't about notoriety when asked to explain the difference between him and Hege. Hege resigned in 2004 after pleading guilty to two obstruction of justice charges out of 15 counts filed against him. If elected, Triplett insists he will not give Hege a job and says it's been about four years since he's talked with him.

Triplett says he was not aware of the allegations against Hege while working for him. Had he known about them, he explained he "would have stepped up to the plate." Triplett, a former country music artist signed to Mercury Records, once wrote a song for Hege titled "The Man in Black." Triplett, now a police officer in East Spencer and security officer at Wake Forest Baptist Health — Lexington Medical Center, said he would have also written a song for Grice had he been approached.

When asked what separated him and Grice, Triplett says it is the fact he's going to be a "visibility sheriff."

"I'm going to be out there with boots on the ground with my deputies, working day and night," he said. "I want to make the community safe for the citizens of Davidson County. We want to protect our children from child predators. We want to arrest the drug dealers and put them in jail where they belong, because if they are in jail where they belong, they cannot be out on the streets, trying to sell drugs to our children and breaking into our homes, our businesses, our cars. To me, it's simple. It's all about people."

Triplett says if elected he would make a change at the Davidson County Animal Shelter. "If the animal shelter falls under my direct control, the gas chamber is going to cease to exist," he said.

Grice, 63, has been the county's sheriff since 2004. The 42-year veteran of law enforcement was an instructor at Davidson County Community College for 30 years. Grice holds an associate's degree in applied science from DCCC, a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and also a master's degree in criminal justice from UNCC.

"There are a lot of things I want to see completed," Grice said as he explained why he's seeking re-election. "One is the new sheriff's office building. There are a lot of other projects that I want to see completed. It's something (where) I'm still in good shape and in good health. It's still something I enjoy, and I feel like I offer a lot to the community still yet."

When reflecting on his tenure as sheriff, the incumbent says he's most proud about renewing the confidence that the public has with the DCSO. "We have returned credibility to the sheriff's office."

Under his leadership, Grice says he has established a career ladder for employees and maintained a stable crime rate based on the size of the county compared to surrounding counties. The sheriff also pointed out the building of a firing range through the use of drug forfeiture funds. Grice said his office continues to have strong efforts against people who abuse children. The sheriff further explained his establishment of a Breaking and Entering Task Force has been "very active" in preventing and clearing up break-ins.

Grice said this week his office has five unsolved murder cases. The cases have always been a priority, he said.

"All these cases have been thoroughly investigated," he said, noting he's personally reviewing one of them.

Responding to Triplett, the sheriff said it's common for opponents in sheriff's races to claim an incumbent is not visible.

"They try to imply the sheriff is not accessible," he said. "I'm accessible in the office. I go to public events. I go to DARE graduations. I go to major crime scenes. It's impossible for a person to go to every call. That's why we have competent, trained employees. You have to delegate responsibility and have trust and confidence in the people you hire."

In regard to the gas chamber at the animal shelter, Grice said the method is one of the most painless forms of death for animals. He said the measure is being used appropriately at the shelter.

"We are not pandering to certain groups to just try to get votes," the sheriff said. "We are doing what's best for the animals."

As sheriff, Grice said he's rebuilt relationships with local law enforcement agencies. He said at one time each police chief, the top sergeant of the Highway Patrol and the superintendent of the women's prison in Davidson County were all of his former students.

"You had a sheriff (Hege) who was professing he didn't need to work with anybody else and nobody else wanted to work with him because they were … embarrassed or worried about his loose cannon approach to law enforcement," Grice said.

Clerk of superior court

Royal, 42, graduated from Lexington Senior High School and received her bachelor's degree in sociology from Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh. She minored in elementary education. Royal has been an adult probation officer in Davidson County for about 18 years.

"There is nothing against (Shipwash), but I feel as a citizen it is my right to run for public office," she said. "My goal is to reach out to citizens who feel they can't serve in a political office."

Royal said there is nothing bad with the clerk of court's office. However, she believes she could bring fresh ideas. She said she would offer integrity, professionalism and equality to the office.

"The (clerk's) staff does a great job right now," she said.

Royal noted she's been a longtime volunteer in the community. She is a member of the Lexington Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and serves on the board of directors for Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County. Royal also is the president of the Lexington Recreation Department Booster Club. She has been a volunteer coach for cheerleading, T-ball and basketball. Royal is also a co-founder of the social group A.F.O.Y. (Anything For Our Youth), which she described as a group that believes in the youths in the community.

"I feel like I have a strong knowledge in working with the public," she said.

Royal said her experience as a probation officer would assist with her being the clerk.

"There is a lot that goes on with the clerk's position," she said. "It's not just the district and superior courts, we have civil court and estates. I'm pretty much aware of everything."

Royal said she's been contemplating a run at the clerk's position since January.

Shipwash, 42, has bachelor's degrees in political science and business administration from High Point University, as well as a master's in business administration from the institution. He is pursuing a law degree from the Charlotte School of Law, which he is expected to finish in 2016. Shipwash, who ran unopposed in 2010 and last had an opponent in the 2006 general election, has been the clerk of superior court since 1998 and is running for his fifth term.

Shipwash, who announced in April of his plans to file for re-election, said his primary reason for seeking office again is serving the people. "It is very important to have someone with experience and in real-life experiences to be able to assist them in gaining their access to justice," he said.

Under his leadership, Shipwash said his office has been customer-friendly and service-focused. He said his staff wants to exceed customer expectations.

"We are the best in the state, and we know there are things we need to improve on," Shipwash said. "… I've got a 15-year history of success and improving performance. We just want to expound on that.

Shipwash earlier this year filed for bankruptcy, and a charge of misdemeanor possessing an airsoft gun on the campus at the Charlotte School of Law was dismissed months ago. "I believe it will have no impact on my candidacy," Shipwash said, as he referred to his bankruptcy and charge dismissal.

Shipwash reiterated residents should vote for him because of his 15 years of experience as clerk. "I've got the knowledge, the education and the experience," he said. "The clerk of court (office) is not broken. It does not need to be fixed, especially by someone (Royal) with zero experience."

Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com. Follow Darrick on Twitter: @DispatchDarrick.

<p>The races for Davidson County sheriff and clerk of superior court are beginning to heat up as the incumbents have opponents for next year's election.</p><p>Filing for the sheriff and clerk of court, along with a number of other races, will begin Feb. 10 and end Feb. 28. The primary will be May 6, and the General Election will be Nov. 4.</p><p>Hal Triplett, a former Davidson County Sheriff's Office lieutenant, says he'll challenge Sheriff David Grice in the Republican primary. Tina Royal, an adult probation officer who is a Democrat, also announced this week of her plans for running for clerk of superior court, a position held by Republican Brian Shipwash.</p><p><B>Sheriff's race</B></p><p>Triplett, 63, a supporter of Gerald Hege's unsuccessful attempt in the May 2010 primary against Grice, began quickly expressing after Hege's failed run that he'd be running for sheriff in 2014 by placing campaign signs around the county. Triplett says he may have the longest-running campaign in the county's history.</p><p>"I sat down with my wife and my family, and I said, 'I know what it takes to be a good sheriff, and that's to be the people's sheriff,'" Triplett recalled. "To me, there hasn't been a people's sheriff in Davidson County in a long time. With that being said, I also told my supporters from day one that I'm not going to have a negative campaign. This election, to me, is not about Sheriff Grice and what he is doing and not doing. This is not about the former sheriff (Hege), what he did and didn't do. This is about Hal Triplett and what I can do for the citizens of Davidson County when I am elected as their sheriff."</p><p>Triplett, who served in the U.S. Marines from 1972-76 as a sergeant, started with the DCSO in 1996 under Hege when he was hired as a patrol deputy/K-9 handler. He worked with the department until July 2008, serving as a sergeant in vice and narcotics and patrol lieutenant. Triplett explained he left the sheriff's department five years ago with no problems "whatsoever." He said he left his post with the DCSO to train Iraqi police officers for about 20 months.</p><p>Triplett says he returned from Iraq and approached Grice about rejoining the sheriff's office. He says the DCSO didn't have a position for him, so he wasn't "going to straddle the fence." Triplett, who accompanied Hege for his filing in 2010, said he received an offer from the former sheriff to possibly be his major if he beat Grice in the 2010 primary. However, Grice easily defeated Hege.</p><p>Triplett said he'd be a "people sheriff" and he wasn't about notoriety when asked to explain the difference between him and Hege. Hege resigned in 2004 after pleading guilty to two obstruction of justice charges out of 15 counts filed against him. If elected, Triplett insists he will not give Hege a job and says it's been about four years since he's talked with him. </p><p>Triplett says he was not aware of the allegations against Hege while working for him. Had he known about them, he explained he "would have stepped up to the plate." Triplett, a former country music artist signed to Mercury Records, once wrote a song for Hege titled "The Man in Black." Triplett, now a police officer in East Spencer and security officer at Wake Forest Baptist Health — Lexington Medical Center, said he would have also written a song for Grice had he been approached. </p><p>When asked what separated him and Grice, Triplett says it is the fact he's going to be a "visibility sheriff."</p><p>"I'm going to be out there with boots on the ground with my deputies, working day and night," he said. "I want to make the community safe for the citizens of Davidson County. We want to protect our children from child predators. We want to arrest the drug dealers and put them in jail where they belong, because if they are in jail where they belong, they cannot be out on the streets, trying to sell drugs to our children and breaking into our homes, our businesses, our cars. To me, it's simple. It's all about people."</p><p>Triplett says if elected he would make a change at the Davidson County Animal Shelter. "If the animal shelter falls under my direct control, the gas chamber is going to cease to exist," he said.</p><p>Grice, 63, has been the county's sheriff since 2004. The 42-year veteran of law enforcement was an instructor at Davidson County Community College for 30 years. Grice holds an associate's degree in applied science from DCCC, a bachelor's degree in criminal justice administration from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and also a master's degree in criminal justice from UNCC.</p><p>"There are a lot of things I want to see completed," Grice said as he explained why he's seeking re-election. "One is the new sheriff's office building. There are a lot of other projects that I want to see completed. It's something (where) I'm still in good shape and in good health. It's still something I enjoy, and I feel like I offer a lot to the community still yet."</p><p>When reflecting on his tenure as sheriff, the incumbent says he's most proud about renewing the confidence that the public has with the DCSO. "We have returned credibility to the sheriff's office."</p><p>Under his leadership, Grice says he has established a career ladder for employees and maintained a stable crime rate based on the size of the county compared to surrounding counties. The sheriff also pointed out the building of a firing range through the use of drug forfeiture funds. Grice said his office continues to have strong efforts against people who abuse children. The sheriff further explained his establishment of a Breaking and Entering Task Force has been "very active" in preventing and clearing up break-ins.</p><p>Grice said this week his office has five unsolved murder cases. The cases have always been a priority, he said.</p><p>"All these cases have been thoroughly investigated," he said, noting he's personally reviewing one of them.</p><p>Responding to Triplett, the sheriff said it's common for opponents in sheriff's races to claim an incumbent is not visible.</p><p>"They try to imply the sheriff is not accessible," he said. "I'm accessible in the office. I go to public events. I go to DARE graduations. I go to major crime scenes. It's impossible for a person to go to every call. That's why we have competent, trained employees. You have to delegate responsibility and have trust and confidence in the people you hire."</p><p>In regard to the gas chamber at the animal shelter, Grice said the method is one of the most painless forms of death for animals. He said the measure is being used appropriately at the shelter.</p><p>"We are not pandering to certain groups to just try to get votes," the sheriff said. "We are doing what's best for the animals."</p><p>As sheriff, Grice said he's rebuilt relationships with local law enforcement agencies. He said at one time each police chief, the top sergeant of the Highway Patrol and the superintendent of the women's prison in Davidson County were all of his former students.</p><p>"You had a sheriff (Hege) who was professing he didn't need to work with anybody else and nobody else wanted to work with him because they were … embarrassed or worried about his loose cannon approach to law enforcement," Grice said. </p><p><B><B>Clerk of superior court</B></B></p><p>Royal, 42, graduated from Lexington Senior High School and received her bachelor's degree in sociology from Saint Augustine's University in Raleigh. She minored in elementary education. Royal has been an adult probation officer in Davidson County for about 18 years.</p><p>"There is nothing against (Shipwash), but I feel as a citizen it is my right to run for public office," she said. "My goal is to reach out to citizens who feel they can't serve in a political office."</p><p>Royal said there is nothing bad with the clerk of court's office. However, she believes she could bring fresh ideas. She said she would offer integrity, professionalism and equality to the office.</p><p>"The (clerk's) staff does a great job right now," she said.</p><p>Royal noted she's been a longtime volunteer in the community. She is a member of the Lexington Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and serves on the board of directors for Communities In Schools of Lexington/Davidson County. Royal also is the president of the Lexington Recreation Department Booster Club. She has been a volunteer coach for cheerleading, T-ball and basketball. Royal is also a co-founder of the social group A.F.O.Y. (Anything For Our Youth), which she described as a group that believes in the youths in the community.</p><p>"I feel like I have a strong knowledge in working with the public," she said.</p><p>Royal said her experience as a probation officer would assist with her being the clerk. </p><p>"There is a lot that goes on with the clerk's position," she said. "It's not just the district and superior courts, we have civil court and estates. I'm pretty much aware of everything."</p><p>Royal said she's been contemplating a run at the clerk's position since January. </p><p>Shipwash, 42, has bachelor's degrees in political science and business administration from High Point University, as well as a master's in business administration from the institution. He is pursuing a law degree from the Charlotte School of Law, which he is expected to finish in 2016. Shipwash, who ran unopposed in 2010 and last had an opponent in the 2006 general election, has been the clerk of superior court since 1998 and is running for his fifth term. </p><p>Shipwash, who announced in April of his plans to file for re-election, said his primary reason for seeking office again is serving the people. "It is very important to have someone with experience and in real-life experiences to be able to assist them in gaining their access to justice," he said.</p><p>Under his leadership, Shipwash said his office has been customer-friendly and service-focused. He said his staff wants to exceed customer expectations.</p><p>"We are the best in the state, and we know there are things we need to improve on," Shipwash said. "… I've got a 15-year history of success and improving performance. We just want to expound on that. </p><p>Shipwash earlier this year filed for bankruptcy, and a charge of misdemeanor possessing an airsoft gun on the campus at the Charlotte School of Law was dismissed months ago. "I believe it will have no impact on my candidacy," Shipwash said, as he referred to his bankruptcy and charge dismissal.</p><p>Shipwash reiterated residents should vote for him because of his 15 years of experience as clerk. "I've got the knowledge, the education and the experience," he said. "The clerk of court (office) is not broken. It does not need to be fixed, especially by someone (Royal) with zero experience."</p><p>Darrick Ignasiak can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 217, or darrick.ignasiak@the-dispatch.com. Follow Darrick on Twitter: @DispatchDarrick.</p>